Tag Archives: outdoors

Autumn Adventure – First encounter with elephants at uMkhuze

While we’re on the subject of elephants; in four previous visits to the uMkhuze Game Reserve, an integral part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, we’ve never seen the reserve’s elephants, despite them numbering around a hundred animals. Finally that unlucky streak was broken on the 22nd of March this year during our fifth visit. We had been following the drive back to camp from Nsumo Pan, dodging droppings and broken branches on a wet road, when first the matriarch and then the whole herd emerged out of the thicket into the road ahead of us.

Matriarch of the uMkhuze Game Reserve elephant herd (photo by Joubert)

Younger members of the uMkhuze Game Reserve herd with their leader

Two youngsters playing (photo by Joubert)

Elephant Bull accompanying the herd

The whole herd were quite relaxed with our presence. The whole herd that is, except one youngster. He sneaked out of the thick vegetation like a cat on the prowl, keeping his head low as he came running towards us, only to stop with head held high and ears widely spread, doing his best to intimidate us. We tried not to laugh in his face though, because one day he will be enormous and he might remember us…

Playful Elephant youngster (photo by Joubert)

Autumn Adventure – You “musth” give way to this giant!

28 Replies

Well, we’re back home in Pretoria after a wonderful two weeks exploring the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. Lots of stories to tell you in the coming weeks about our trip, and we’re going to start with a sequence of photo’s from yesterday’s drive through the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park to Memorial Gate on our way home.

By 07:30 we had made our way to within 3 kilometers of Hilltop Camp when we found our way blocked by a big male elephant in musth. “Musth is a periodic condition in bull elephants characterized by highly aggressive behavior and accompanied by a large rise in reproductive hormones” (wikipedia). To top it all this bull had a broken tusk and a sore on his face – even more reason for him to be agitated! Predictably this bull quickly showed us who rules in Hluhluwe – most of the following images were taken by Joubert as I had to concentrate on reversing downhill at speed for much of the half hour that followed.

Big elephant bull blocking the road and taking a dustbath

He has had enough of us! (photo by Joubert)

A few minutes into the encounter a ranger arrived on the scene. Obviously he has much more experience in dealing with irate bull elephants and I would strongly advise against any visitors trying to play chicken with an elephant in such a mood like this ranger did…

Ranger playing chicken with a big elephant bull

Ranger playing chicken with a big elephant bull(photo by Joubert)

Ranger playing chicken with a big elephant bull

Ranger playing chicken with a big elephant bull(photo by Joubert)

Ranger playing chicken with a big elephant bull

With the ranger gone, the bull turned his attention to us again. Eventually he pushed us back about 1.5km to the start of the Mansiya Loop Road, offering us an opportunity to escape. Whether he chose to keep walking along the tar road, or exit onto the Loop road, we’d have an opportunity to pass.

Elephant bull in musth dictating the way we should go (photo by Joubert)

The bull chose to stay on the tar road, so we used to Loop Road to get past him. As we rejoined the main road we could still see him slowly making his way up the hill.

Elephant bull in musth walking along the main road through Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

For most of the rest of the way to Hilltop Camp his path of destruction could be seen as parts of trees and bushes littered the roadway.

Big branch lying across the road in the elephant’s wake

Marilize got this shot of Joubert taking pictures of the irate elephant bull with her cellphone.

Autumn Adventure – 1 April 2022

19 Replies

Sadly our last full day exploring the wilds of the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. Tomorrow we have only the stretch of road between Mpila and Memorial Gate left to savour of this amazing place before we drive back to Pretoria.

Warthog close-up (photo by Joubert)

White Rhino

Zebra huddle (photo by Joubert)

Warthogs greeting at the mud spa

Impala rams (photo by Joubert)

Plains Zebra (photo by Joubert)

Buffalo herd

Black Rhino (photo by Joubert)

Elephant cow

Elephants crossing the Black Umfolozi

Giraffe

Mauritian Tomb Bat (photo by Joubert)

Burchell’s Coucal

Autumn Adventure – Imfolozi 31 March 2022

16 Replies

We’re still having a wonderful time here in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and collecting lots and lots of photographs of beautiful animals and beautiful scenery.

Golden sunrise over Imfolozi (photo by Joubert)

Young male lion, giving us the eye

White Rhino (photo by Joubert)

Young Kudu bull

Plains Zebra playing in the mud

Buffalo

Cheetah

Nyala bull (photo by Joubert)

Female Black Cuckooshrike

Wire-tailed Swallow

Elephant bull walking along the main road

Baboons

Mocking Cliff-Chat

Black Rhino

Autumn Adventure – Imfolozi 30 March 2022

17 Replies

The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is one of the oldest protected areas in Africa, having been proclaimed 127 years ago in 1895 as two seperate reserves – Hluhluwe and Umfolozi. We’ll share more about this fascinating history soon, but for now suffice to say that these healthy and intact ecosystems support large populations of birds and animals, meaning any visit to this special park is sure to deliver some memorable encounters.

Early morning on the Black Umfolozi River

Young Giraffe

Dark-capped Bulbul (photo by Joubert)

Plains Zebra with muddy socks

Plains Zebra and White Rhino sharing a waterhole

Natal Hinged Tortoise

White Rhinos crossing a river

Early morning on the White Umfolozi River

Buffalo bull (photo by Joubert)

Mphafa Waterhole

Thirsty Warthog family

Yellow-breasted Apalis

Warthog enjoying his turn in the mud

Impala

Bateleur

White Rhino

Elephants (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Eagle Owl

Autumn Adventure – Hluhluwe-Imfolozi 29 March 2023

13 Replies

We’re still in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, though we’ve moved camp from Hilltop Camp in the Hluhluwe section to Mpila Camp in the Imfolozi section. It was a very hot day today – the high of 36°C belying the season we find ourselves in – and animals were congregating along the rivers and besides the pans from very early on.

Playful lions along the Hluhluwe River

Sitezi bend in the Hluhluwe River

Buffalo family?

Loving Baboon interaction (photo by Joubert)

Nyala on the run (photo by Joubert)

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Corridor’s rolling hills

Female Chinspot Batis

White Umfolozi River

Chalet 16, Mpila, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, March 2022

White Rhinos

Warthog on the run towards Ubhejane waterhole (photo by Joubert)

Giraffe drinking

Giraffe

Thirsty Zebra foal

White Rhino (photo by Joubert)

Baboon

Munching Impala (photo by Joubert)

Blue Wildebeest

White Rhino

Autumn Adventure – Hluhluwe 28 March 2022

11 Replies

Who could ever tire of spending time in such scenic surroundings, and with such interesting characters, as can be found here around Hilltop in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park?

Spotted Hyena

Buffalo roadblock

Newborn Buffalo and mom (photo by Joubert)

Buffalo cow

Elephant

Plains Zebra (photo by Joubert)

Warthog drinking from a puddle after a quick rainshower

Nyala calf

Hluhluwe scenery

Vervet Monkey

Buffalo bull

White Rhino

Hluhluwe scenery

Vervet Monkey (photo by Joubert)

Grey Heron

Hluhluwe scenery

Autumn Adventure – Hluhluwe 27 March 2022

15 Replies

We’ve had another wonderful day exploring the beautiful surroundings of Hilltop Rest Camp here in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, marveling at creatures big and small along the way.

White Rhinoceros

Buffalo herd along the Hluhluwe River

Young Vervet Monkey (photo by Joubert)

Red-billed Oxpecker (photo by Joubert)

Beautifully adorned Kite Spider female

Male Samango Monkey

Nyala calf

Hluhluwe scenery

Mountain Wagtail

Blue Wildebeest

Buffalo cow

White Rhinos

Purple-crested Turaco

Autumn Adventure – Cape Vidal 25 March 2022

15 Replies

Another wonderful day spent in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park – our last full day here for this trip. Tomorrow our plans take us to Hilltop Rest Camp in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.

Spotted Hyena cub near Cape Vidal

Saddle-billed Stork in silhouette at sunrise

Vervet Monkey

Bushbuck ram

Elephant herd blocking the road…again!

Hadeda in flight – photo by Joubert

Hippo going walkabout in broad daylight

Kudu calf nursing

Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird

Natal Acraea butterfly

Samango Monkey

Interesting caterpillar

Wary Buffalo bull

Black-crowned Night Herons

Buffaloes at sunset

Autumn Adventure – Cape Vidal 24 March 2022

17 Replies

The Isimangaliso Wetland Park, and especially when using Cape Vidal as a base, really offers the best combination of both bush and beach you could hope for.